Ernest Bloch - Concerto Symphonique; Concerto Grosso No. 1; Scherzo Fantastique (Jenny Lin)

Information

Composer: Ernest Bloch

• Concerto Symphonique for piano and orchestra
• Concerto Grosso No. 1 for string orchestra with piano obbligato
• Scherzo Fantastique for piano and orchestra

Jenny Lin, piano

SWR Radio Orchestra Kaiserslautern

Jiří Stárek, conductor

Date: 2007

Label: Hänssler

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Review

Ernest Bloch’s Concerto symphonique is one of the 20th century’s great masterpieces for piano and orchestra, and this easily is its finest recording to date. Imagine the cyclical form of Franck’s Symphony wedded to the pianistic brilliance and rhythmic drive of Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto. Sound juicy? You betcha! All previous performances have suffered either from an inadequate pianist or orchestra–or both. Jenny Lin’s account of the solo part is extraordinary: fiery and brilliant, but also extremely sensitive in places such as the quiet central section of the second movement, where woodwinds and keyboard are remarkably in sync. In a work that couldn’t have been familiar to the orchestra, with a really intricate relationship between solo and the larger ensemble, this is very impressive.

The performance isn’t quite perfect, however. The finale is a touch under-tempo, though never underpowered (thanks to the enthusiastic brass section). On the other hand, it’s much better to play the piece more slowly than usual but observe proper dynamics and phrasing in what after all is some very heavily scored music. Just compare the passage for piano and winds (with snare drum) after figure 89 to the work’s three prior recordings, and it’s quite clear that the approach works well for the most part. The engineers also have balanced Lin very naturally against the orchestra–no easy task. In sum, the performance is a joy, and if you don’t know this work, then you owe yourself a listen.

Better still, this disc contains all the rest of Bloch’s music for piano and orchestra. Concerto grosso No. 1 for piano and strings is one of his most popular pieces, and this is one of its better performances. The second-movement Dirge is particularly moving, while the final fugue offers a very satisfying culmination. The Scherzo fantasque sounds like a chip off of the Concerto symphonique, and once again this is its finest recorded performance (not that there have been many). Bloch really was one of the best orchestral composers active in the first half of the 20th century, and this excellent disc should go a long way toward convincing any doubters. [2/7/2008]

— David Hurwitz

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Ernest Bloch (July 24, 1880 – July 15, 1959) was a Swiss-born American composer known for blending post-Romantic and neoclassical styles with Jewish musical themes. He studied in Switzerland and Belgium, taught at the Geneva Conservatory, and moved to the U.S. in 1916. Bloch became the first director of the Cleveland Institute of Music and later led the San Francisco Conservatory. He taught at UC Berkeley until retiring in 1952. Bloch's compositions, influenced by Debussy, Mahler, and Ravel, include Schelomo, Baal Shem, Avodath Hakodesh, Concerto Grosso No. 1, and Israel Symphony, among others.

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Jenny Lin (born 1973) is a Taiwanese-born American pianist. She studied in Vienna, Baltimore and Geneva with teachers including Noel Flores, Julian Martin and Dominique Weber. She also worked with Leon Fleisher, Richard Goode, and others. She has performed with orchestras worldwide and premiered works by composers such as Stefano Gervasoni and Unsuk Chin. Her performances have included venues like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Kennedy Center. Lin has released over 50 recordings, and is creator of Melody's Mostly Musical Day, a children's musical picture book and concert.

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